It is known that absorbent tampons made of soft, low density, relatively uncompressed, resiliently deformable materials, and especially of materials such as hydrophilic or mensesphilic polyurethane foams, not only provide high absorbent capacity for menstrual exudate but also protect against early leakage. This is attributed to the fact that uncompressed low density materials are in their most effective absorbent state from the start and do not have to be acted upon, or depend on expansion activating agents, to expand to useful size. In addition, the uncompressed material has surface areas which more readily accept exudate than do the hardened surface areas of conventional compressed tampons. Further the inherent springy resiliency such foams possess enable these foams to conform more readily to the multiple irregular folds, ridges and valleys of the vaginal walls when the walls are in their normal collapsed state thus reducing the possibilities for bypass leakage through unobstructed channels. While high pressures exerted by the walls on any particular portion of the foam will compress the foam considerably in that particular area, immediately adjacent wall areas which exert lesser pressure compress the very resilient foam correspondingly less, and the tendency of the foam to expand to its normal uncompressed condition, will help it fill any voids which exist.
This invention is directed to a tampon made from such resiliently deformable materials. The described structure is one which has been found particularly effective in filling the vaginal cavity after insertion. An inserter designed to hold the tampon in resiliently deformed condition for delivery into the vagina is also described.